CHAPTER 1
INTRODUCTION
1.1 Introduction
Nowadays, advanced technology has led into the variation of hardware and software solutions that often need in automation technology. From the extremely
development in automation technology field, PLC has been introduced as a device to control machinery on factory assembly lines. PLC has made the industrial process
more productive and effective. Therefore the usage and requirement upon PLC become wide and increased. As a respond with the development, many experts have
made their research on how to come out with more benefits from PLC. As a result of the researches, they found out the alternative way to communicate PLC and PC
where they called Human Machine Interface HMI. HMI technology is defined as the application of software or hardware that
allows a user to interact with their plant equipment. With the HMI technology, a user will have the ability to control their plant equipment functions from a single personal
computer platform. All the equipments operations and functions for manufacturing a product are easily controlled by a click of the mouse. In the past 10-years, HMI has
become very graphical and today, HMI technology in many instances animates the manufacturing process on computer displays. As an elaboration on the HMI,
Graphic User Interface GUI has been developed. Where, the basic function is to communicate with PLC, display and store data from machine process and control the
machine process. From the GUI, the users or plant operators are alerted to machinery and process problems from visual and audio alarms that prevent potential problems
from occurring.
1.2 Project Overview
The project is to implement the Graphic User Interface for a PLC process. It includes design of GUI and a material mixer tank as the PLC application. The most
important things in this project are the use of visual basic 6.0 as programming tool for the GUI, Omron PLC and the parallel port as the medium of communication
between PC and PLC. This project is divided into two sections, which are software and hardware development and controlling PLC application.
1.3 Problem Statement
Kategori